Contents

Biography

Ben Solo was born to Han Solo and Leia Organa under the rule of the New Republic. Before he was born, his mother sensed him through the force and concluded that he was a boy. He didn't spend a lot of time with his parents and was whisked off to train with his uncle Luke Skywalker as a Jedi. Ben eventually was turned to the dark side by Snoke and he became the master of the Knights of Ren, destroying Luke's Jedi and forcing him into hiding. Serving the First Order, Ben took on the name Kylo Ren.

Kylo Ren arrived in his Command Shuttle on Jakku many years later and led the First Order in a search for the missing segment of the map to Luke Skywalker. He captured Resistance Pilot Poe Dameron who refused to give away the location of the map.

Kylo took Poe to the Finalizer where he interrogated the pilot into revealing that the information was with BB-8 the droid. Finn escaped with Poe and crash landed on Jakku. When the First Order failed to stop Rey and Finn from escaping with the droid Hux and Kylo met with their master Snoke. Hux told Snoke that the superweapon was ready and was ordered to oversee operations. Snoke told Kylo that BB-8 was in the hands of Han Solo, his father. Kylo told Snoke that this wouldn't stop him even though his master is unsure.

Arriving on Takodana, Kylo landed in his shuttle and watched as his Stormtroopers attacked the castle. Rey and BB-8 watched from afar and Kylo Ren found them. Rey shot the dark warrior but he deflected every bolt, capturing the the scavenger. Discovering that she had seen the map to Luke Skywalker, Kylo told his men that they no longer needed the droid and that he would be able to get the map out of her mind.

Kylo interrogated Rey on Starkiller Base, surprised that she was "just a scavenger". Han, Chewbacca and Finn arrived and Rey escaped. Han and the group set explosives while Kylo searched for them. Kylo met Han at opposite sides of a bridge, telling him he had been looking forward to this day. Han asked him to remove his helmet since he wouldn't be needing it. Han slowly walked closer and attempted to explain to his son that Snoke was using him and that he would kill Kylo once he could no longer be used. Han asked him to come back and Kylo took his lightsaber, handing it to his father. Then, to the shock of Rey, Finn and Chewbacca who were watching from platforms, Kylo activated the saber, stabbing Han. Han touched his sons face before Kylo removed the blade. He watched as his father's body fell and then he failed to stop angry Chewbacca's shots which injured him.

Rey and Kylo duel

With the group escaping, Kylo made his way outside to the snowy forest. When Finn and Rey arrived, he force-pushed her against a tree. Finn activated Luke Skywalker's lightsaber and ran at Ren. Finn put up a fight and slashed Kylo's shoulder. Kylo sent the saber flying and slashed him from behind. Finn fell to the ground and Kylo attempted to use the force to take Luke's lightsaber. It didn't budge for a while and then finally it came flying directly past him and into Rey's hand. After a moment of staring, the two duelled. At first Kylo was dominating the fight and pushing Rey back. Eventually the ground around them started to fall apart since Poe and the Resistance had successfully destroyed the inner parts of the base. Ren cornered Rey beside a crevice and told her she needed a teacher. She called on the force and avoided Kylo's blade. This time Rey was dominating and slashed Kylo across the face. Another crevice opened between them and Rey ran off to find Finn. Kylo was rescued by Hux before the base was completely destroyed and was taken to Snoke to have his training completed.

Kylo Ren used the force to telepathically communicate with Rey and the two teamed up against Supreme Leader Snoke and Ren slaughtered his master, becoming the leader of the First Order. Rey and Ren then fought against the Elite Praetorian Guards but afterwards split paths because Kylo wouldn't return to the light and Rey wouldn't turn to the dark side. Kylo faced a force projection of Luke Skywalker and defeated him. Luke's physical body died on Ahch-To.

Personality and Traits

Kylo appears to be very obsessed with his grandfather Darth Vader and it seems he is unaware that he turned good in the end and killed Emperor Palpatine.

Powers and Abilities

Although Kylo was strong with the force and was able to stop a blaster bolt in mid-air, he was still undertrained and most likely confused due to the mix of his training with Supreme Leader Snoke and with Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.

Weapons

Jedi lightsaber

Crossguard blade

Kylo Ren created a crossguard lightsaber much like those used by the sith and the jedi during the Great Scourge of Malachor. The kyber crystal used was broken, causing the blade to be rigged unlike most lightsabers.

Vehicles

Command Shuttle

TIE Finalizer

Kylo was in possession of a TIE/vn space superiority fighter that he used during the Attack on the Resistance Fleet and almost shot the bridge of the Raddus where his mother Leia Organa was commanding the insurgents.

Legends Counterparts

Caedus's hair is slightly similar to that of Kylo Ren

Jacen Solo

In Star Wars Legends, the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo is Jacen Solo. Kylo Ren is very obviously inspired by his character since Jacen, twin brother of Jaina and older brother to Anakin Solo trained as a Jedi and then turned down a dark path, becoming Darth Caedus.

Ben Skywalker

Ben Skywalker

The Son of Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade in Star Wars Legends, Ben Skywalker trained as a Jedi under his father. He was obviously named after Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of Luke's mentors. In a similar way Kylo Ren's real name is Ben and is most likely named after the old man that sacrificed himself on the first Death Star.

Trivia

Kylo Ren was known as "Jedi Killer" during early concepts and production.

Designs for Kylo Ren looked alike to Darth Vader and the Guavian Death Gang soldiers.

The scar on Ren's face was moved slightly for The Last Jedi at Rian Johnson's request.

There was a Legends character known as Kybo Ren but the characters show no similarities at all other then in the name.

Adam Driver didn't audition for the role of Kylo Ren but rather just met with J.J. Abrams and Abrams decided to give him the role.

Adam Driver doesn't normally watch his movies as it makes him feel uncomfortable. However, Driver made an exception for The Force Awakens and watched it with Daisy Ridley and Carrie Fisher.

Kylo Ren was believed to be a Sith Lord in the initial teaser trailer for The Force Awakens but Abrams clarified that Vader was the final Sith Lord and Ren was a new type of dark-sider.

Adam wasn't fond of the mask he had to wear while filming The Force Awakens. He stated that he could barely see what was on set while he wore it.

Ren only wears the mask in one scene in The Last Jedi before destroying it. This could be a development of character for Kylo who is moving on from the Darth Vader persona and discovering who Kylo Ren is as his own individual character.

The crew of The Last Jedi explained that Kylo Ren was shirtless in the movie to inform viewers that Rey could indeed see him through the telepathic communication they were experiencing. They then went on to say that it was also good humor.

Leia named Ben Solo after Obi-Wan Kenobi who had gone by the name Ben Kenobi while on exile on Tatooine.

Rian Johnson explained that the Knights of Ren did not appear in The Last Jedi due to the fact that the movie was already full. They could have been in Snoke's throne-room instead of the Praetorian Guards but that would have created unnecessary complications due to their connection to Kylo and the fact that they had to die so nobody knew Kylo assassinated Snoke.